Restaurant Ca' Sento
Méndez Nuñez, 17
Phone: 963 301 775

Your cuisine is a synthesis between the traditional Valencian gastronomy and haute cuisine.
How about one and the other one?
The roots of the Valencian gastronomic tradition are my real pride, a luxury. I didn't invent anything, just from the tradition of my country, my memory of who I am, I try to give a different light touch to the traditional dishes, but always respecting the flavor of each food. The products of our land are wonderful, I just try to promote, improve, emphasize its taste, but always with respect to the past.

What duty do you have to their parents?
Ca' Sento is so important thanks to my father and that's why the restaurant still has his name. And in the menu are still appearing the fish stews that my mother did. My parents have taught me much of what I know about the cuisine and thanks to them I have learned to seek out and value the excellence of the product, the true basis of all quality cuisine, and of mine as well.

How you parents and customers reacted to the change that you proposed when you took over from the restaurant?
It was not a radical change, it was a very natural evolution. I started to introduce small variations or some modern touches to traditional dishes, little by little. First a plate, then another, also because I had to study the reaction of customers. Here we have a very varied clientele. We also have customers who has come here to eat for 25 years: I could not make a sudden revolution. I admit that the customer is more informed and has accompanied and searched this culinary evolution. In general people come to my restaurant to eat well, feel comfortable and enjoy. And I try to satisfy them, without cheating. Eating here is expensive, I know, and it is something that I have in mind. That is why I try to cook as best as I can to meet the expectations of our customers, always trying to offer the best.

How do you create a dish or a variant?
I do not think anything, not invent anything, if it has access. Many think that a dish of haute cuisine is the result of a systematic study and research. In fact my team and I let us be guided by the experience. We know how to combine several products, flavors and textures between them and simply blend together. It is very spontaneous, you can not force the taste or analyze it coldly. For example, if I want to produce a dessert with chocolate, I think of as can be prepared in the form of ice cream, of coulant of mousse ... And then I think of what accompanies good chocolate, such as orange, and analyzed the different ways we can serve the orange. And so we remain, by attempts without revolutionize the flavors and forms. It is the experience the base to develop new proposals or alternatives.

What do you think about the resistance toward haute cuisine?
I don't conceive a separation between haute and traditional cuisine. For me there are only two types of cuisines, the well-made and bad made. They have the same value a plate of haute cuisine and a plate of beans, if they are well made. I believe that all types of cuisine have to live together and learn from each other. Just as I do not think we have to refuse the use of chemical or technology, should help to expedite the preparation of the dishes or spice flavors. Personally, I am very open to the application of technology inthis field. For example, if I have a oven that, just by pressing a button, bake fish perfectly, why can't I use it? The problem is not, therefore, the type of cuisine, philosophy or technology, it's the use. There is no point in renewing a sophisticated dish, if you lose or underestimate the flavor of ingredients. The ultimate goal of all types of cuisine is to prepare a dish well done, valuing the taste of the products that compose it.

How do you make a good wine matching?
I'm quite reluctant to wine matching. I think this is something very personal. It is often said that we must accompany the fish with white wine, but, for example, if a customer likes only the reds, if you propose a matching with white wines, it is quite sure he won't like it. For example, I love the champagne, but it is'nt the reason why I have to serve only champagne to my clients. Admittedly, my restaurant has a wine cellar with hundreds of references of excellent wines and champagnes, but in the theme of the drink tastes and preferences of each customer count a lot. Moreover, in my opinion, in a restaurant the real protagonist is the food. The drink is a supplement. Sure, there are exceptional wines that can be enjoyed very much, but they have to exalt or accompany the taste of food. As regards the water, I honestly do not see much difference between one type of water to another. I went to a restaurant that has a menu with fifty references of waters. But personally I still believe that water is water.

A few months ago a rumor spread that the restaurant would close. Is it true or is upheld?
Of course it's not true! I have no intention of closing neither now or in the near future. 've received terrible attacks of a certain sector of the press and hotels. At first annoyed me, but now I realize that I can not control everything is said. It hurts me, but the only thing I can do is make my cuisine always the best I can. The evils have not affected my job too much, but I've also had to deny internationally things I had not said or done. I continue to work trying to make the best of myself.